Structural assemblies



Aug. 3, 1965 w. HERRSCHAFT STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1961 3, 1965 w. HERRSCHAFT 3,197,822

STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLIES Filed Aug. 10. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fj- 1.5.. W 48 ll 44 an 47 K J 2/ l n ven for.- Mfl/am f/enzschaff United States Patent 3,197,822 STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLIES William Herrschaft, 90 La Salle St., New York 27, N.Y. Filed Aug. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 130,611 Claims. (Cl. 20-92) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the art of structural assemblies, and in particular the invention concerns itself with the construction of various items of furniture by the use of certain standardized components which are capable of being assembled in a moreor-less modular fashion into an integrated structural unit.

The principal object of the invention is to facilitate the construction of such assemblies or units in a very simple and convenient manner, without the use of special tools or special knowledge, with the employment of standardized components which may be easily and economically manufactured without elaborate manufacturing equipment, and with the characteristics of infinite structural variations, sturdiness and pleasing appearance of the complete assembly.

As such, one important feature of the invention resides in the provision of rectangular, longitudinally grooved bars which, as one standard component, may be selectively used as supporting columns, legs, corner posts, rails, frame members, and the like, while another important feature resides in the provision of clip-like means which cooperate with the grooved bars for connecting the same together at selected points along their length and in selected angular orientation, such clips being substantially invisible when installed, so that the appearance of the assembly is not marred by their presence. Apart from accommodating the clips, the grooves of the bars are also capable of receiving and having fastened therein marginal edge portions of strip or sheet material used in the forma tion of shelves, panelling or enclosures such as cabinets, cases, or the like, wherein the grooves may further serve as guideways for sliding doors, if so desired.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the grooved, rectangular bars used in the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken in the plane of the line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a group perspective view showing the components of one of the clips;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing two bars held assembled by one of the clips;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 55 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a group perspective view showing two plate components of a modified form of the clip;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing attachment of a strip or sheet material to the grooved bar;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a mitered joint of two bars forming a framing for a sheet or panel;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a grooved bar which serves as a frame member of an enclosure;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional detail illustrating a possible assembly of the structures shown in FIG- URES 8 and 9;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of an en closure with a hinged door;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of an enclosure with sliding doors;

3,197,822 Patented Aug. 3, 1965 ice FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of a groved shelf member; and

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of one of numerous different items of furniture which may be assembled from components of the invention, the grooves in the bars being omitted in this view for clarity of illustration.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, one of the structural components of the invention is shown in detail in FIGURES l and 2 and consists of a bar 20 of a suitable length, which is square in cross-section and is provided in each side thereof with a centrally disposed, longitudinally extending groove 21. The bar is preferably made of wood, although metal or plastic may be employed, if so desired.

As another structural component of the invention, a clip designated generally by the numeral 22 and shown in detail in FIGURE 3 is provided for fastening together two of the bars 2% at any selected point along their length. This clip comprises a rectangular plate 23, two relatively opposite side edges of which are provided with flanges 24, 25 projecting to one side of the plate, while its other two side edges are provided with flanges 26, 27 projecting to the other side of the plate, as shown. The plate itself is formed with a pair of apertures 28, 29 disposed adjacent the flange 26. A pair of identical clamp members 30 are provided at the relatively opposite sides of the plates 23, each of these clamp members being L-shaped and equipped with flanges 31, 32 which are oriented as shown. Each clamp member 30 is also provided with apair of apertures 33, 34 disposed adjacent the flange 31. The two clamp members 30 are assembled to the plate 23 by a single clamp bolt 35 which is selectively received in the apertures 33, 34 of the clamp members and 28, 29 of the plate. The bolt 35 is equipped with a nut 36 and with a lockwasher (not shown) if needed.

The components of the clip 22 are so dimensioned that when the clamp members 30 are applied to the opposite sides of the plate 23, the flange 31 of one clamp member abuts the plate flange 25 while the flange 31 of the other clamp member abuts the plate flange 26, whereby to prevent the clamp members from twisting or turning relative to the plate when the bolt 35 is passed through the apertures 33 of the clamp members and the apertures 28 of the plate. The nut 36 fits into the L-shaped con figuration of the adjacent clamp member so that it is prevented from rotating with the bolt while the latter is being tightened. The parts are also so arranged that in the assembly of two of the bars 20 at right angles to each other (as exemplified in FIGURES 4 and 5), the plate flange 24 and the flange 32 of one of the clamp members 3i) fit into the grooves 21 in two adjacent sides of one of the bars, while the plate flange 2'7 and the flange 32 of the other clamp member fit into the grooves in two adjacent sides of the second bar, with the two bars being spaced apart by the thickness of the plate 23, as is best shown in FIGURE 5. Upon tightening of the single clamp bolt 35, both clamp members 3% coact with the plate 23 to frictionally grip both bars by engagement of the various flangesin the respective bar grooves, whereby the two bars are firmly connected together at any selected point along their respective lengths.

Although for sake of illustration in FIGURE 4 the clip 22 has been shown as disposed on top of the transversely extending bar, in actual practice it is preferably located below the transverse bar so that it is hidden from view in locations below the normal eye level of an observer. It will be also appreciated that the pairs of apertures 28, 29 in the plate 23 and 33, 34 in the clamp members B0 selectively receive the bolt 35 to facilitate application of the clamp members to the plate in either a right-hand or a left-hand manner, depending on the requirement of a particular assembly.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modified embodiment of the clip wherein the aforementioned plate 23, with its'fianges 24, 25 and :26, 27, is substituted by two plates 26a, 2% on which the flanges "24, 25 and 2s, 27, respectively, are provided. The plates 23a, 2 3%) are also formed with [the apertures =23, 2% to selectively receive the bolt 35 and when the modified clip is assembled, the plates 23a, 23b are placed baclc-to-back while the two clamp members 3% are placed at the out-side thereof (between the respective plate flanges). Thus, by utilizing the two separate plates 993a, 23b in place of the single plate 23, one half of the clip may be turned relative to the other half about the axis of the bolt to permit the two bars 2% tobe fastened together .at any desired angular relation from to 180.

FIGURE 7 illustrates an arrangement whereby strip or sheet material 4t may be assembled to the bar 2i by having its edge portion inserted into one of the bar grooves 2A1 and fastened therein by a plurality of nails, pins or rivets it which are preferably headless so that their presonce is not readily visible. FIGURE 8 illustrates an extension of this teaching wherein the sheet material or panel to is surrounded by a frame consisting of the bars 24) which are mitered and secured together at the corners of the frame, as at 4 2. It is .to be noted in this connection that the grooves in the coplanar sides of the bars as are perimetrically continuous as indicated at so, so that if desired, an enclosure, case or cabinet may be formed by using an open-ended rectangular, hollow body of sheet material (not shown) and inserting its edge portion at one open end thereof into the continuous groove of an enclosure end constructed as illustrated in FIGURE 8. Alternatively, the body of the enclosure may be made as shown in FIGURE 9 by utilizing four panels as for its sides, joined together at the corners by bars 29, the end edges of the panels .4 projecting beyond the ends of the bars for reception in the grooves 21 of the end unit of FIGURE 8, as shown in FIGURE 10. if the projecting end portions of the panels 44 are not secured by fasteners (such as the fasteners 41) in the grooves 2 1 of the end unit of FIGURE 8, the end unit may be readily removed from and replaced on the enclosure of FIG- URE 9. Alternatively, the end unit of FIGURE 8 may be in the form of a door 45 as shown in FIGURE 11, such a door being connected by a hinge do to a perimetric frame provided by the use of grooved bars 29 on the projecting edge portions of the panels 4-4. It Will be noted that the hinge 46 has its leaves formed with flanges 46a which fit into the grooves of the bars 29 and are secured therein by the fasteners 41.

If an enclosure with sliding doors rather than hinged doors is desired, the arrangement-of FIGURE 12 may be adopted, wherein one of the grooves in the bar 265 is widened as illustrated at 47 to slidab-ly accommodate a pair of sliding door panels t8, the widened groove thus providing a guideway for the sliding panels.

The panelling as, 44, 48 is made of sheet metal, preferably aluminum, which is provided at one or both sides thereof with a wood veneer covering, secured thereto by suitable adhesive. On the other hand, wooden panelling alone may be utilized.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the components of the invention may be used to produce a Wide variety of different structural assemblies, one example of which is shown in FIGURE 14. In this example, the item of furniture is designated generally by the numeral and comprises a plurality of vertical legs 51 consisting of suitable lengths of the bars 20. A case or enclosure 52. is provided at the upper end portions. of the legs and consists of a set of longitudinal bars or members .53, sets of end members 54, panelling 44 and sliding doors 4%. The members 53, 54 are also made up of the bars 2t, and the members 53 are secured to the uprights or legs 51 by the clips .22 which do not appear in the drawing. A sloping s ielf or book rest 55 is mounted .t adjacent the lower ends of the legs lar-ly adjustable clips of FIGURE while a horizontal shelf as is provided above the shelf As shown in FIGURE 13, the shel' may consist of a board formed in its longitudinal edges and upper and lower faces with the grooves 2 1 for direct attachment of the shelf to the legs by the clips 22. For p-urpo es of reinforcement as well as ornamental appearance, a panel so may be provided between two of the tadiacent legs 51, as shown.

If desired, suitable casters (not shown) may be provided at the lower ends of the legs 51, such casters being equipped with prongs or fingers to fit the grooves Ed in the lower end portions of the legs, whereby to mount the casters in position.

Also, tl e clamp bolt and nut 36 of the aforementioned clips may be substituted by a self-tapping sheet metal screw, in which event the apertures 33, in one of the clamping members #59 of the clip would be formed threaded by the screw itself.

It should be un erstood that while the invention is primarily intended for the construction of various types of furniture, room dividers, and the like, its use is not restricted to this environment and the invention may be also employed for the construction of displays, shelving, cases, enclosures, and for structural assemblies of frame members and panelling in general.

Wi e in the foregoing there has been described and shown the referred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling wit the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. in a structural assembly, the combination of first and second rectangular bars each provided at least in two adjacent sides thereof with longitudinal grooves, and a clip for connectin said bars together at selected points along their leng said clip comprising a substantially rectangular intermediate plate uni interposed between said bars, a flange provided. at one edge of said plate unit and projecting to one side thereof into the groove in one side'of the first bar, a clamp member juxtaposed to said one side of said intermediate plate unit and having a plate portion spaced from said one side of the plate un t, a flange provided on said plate portion of said clamp member and seated in the groove in the adjacent side of the first bar, a second flange provided on the plate portion of said clamp member opposite and remote from the groove seated flange thereof, said second flange of the clamp member having an edge hearing against said one side of said plate unit, a flange pro vided at another edge of said plate unit and projecting to the opposite side thereof into the groove in one side of the second bar, a second clamp member juxtaposed to said opposite side of said intermediate plate unit and having a plate portion spaced from said oposite side, a flange provided on said plate portion of said second clamp member and seated in the groove in the adjacent side of the second bar, a second flange provided on the plate portion of said second clamp member opposite and remote from the groove seated flange thereof, said second flange of the second clamp member having an edge bearing against said opposite side of said plate unit, and a clamping bolt extending through registering apertures formed in said intermediate plate unit and in the plate portions of said first and second clamp members, said bolt traversing the spaces between said plate portions of the first and second clamp members and said intermediate plate unit.

2. The device as defined in claim I wherein said intermediate pinte unit comprises a pair of juxtapose' plate elements angulariy'adjustable relative to each other about the axis of said bolt.

51 by using the angu- 6 3. The device as defined in claim 1 together with keeper flanges provided on said intermediate plate unit opposite the respective first and second mentioned flanges of the plate unit and at the respective opposite sides of the plate unit, said second flanges of said first and second clamp members being in abutment with the respective keeper flanges to prevent turning of the clamp members about the axis of said bolt.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said bolt constitutes sole means for retaining said clamp members and said intermediate plate unit assembled to connect said bars together.

5. In a structural assembly, the combination of a first bar and a second bar each having two flat adjacent sides provided with longitudinal grooves, and a clip for securing said bars together at selected points along their length and in a selected angular relationship, said clip comprising a substantially rectangular intermediate plate unit interposed between said bars and consisting of a pair of juxtaposed plate elements formed with registering apertures, first and second flanges provided at oppo-' site side edges of one of said plate elements, the first of said flanges being seated in the groove in one side of said first bar, a first clamp member juxtaposed to said one of said plate elements of the intermediate plate unit and having a plate portion spaced from said one of said plate elements, a flange provided on said plate portion and seated in the groove in the adjacent side of said first bar, a second flange provided on the plate portion of said first clamp member in abutment with the second flange of said one of said plate elements of the intermediate plate unit and with said one of said plate elements itself whereby to prevent rotational movement of the first clamp member relative to said one of said plate elements and to maintain the same in spaced relation, first and second flanges provided at opposite edges of the second plate element of the intermediate plate unit, the first of said last mentioned flanges being seated in the groove in one side of said second bar, a

second clamp member juxtaposed to said second plate element and having a plate portion spaced from the second plate element, a flange provided on the plate portion of the second clamp member and seated in the groove in the adjacent other side of the second bar, a second flange provided on the plate portion of the second clamp member in abutment with the second flange of said second plate element of the intermediate plate unit and with said second plate element itself whereby to prevent rotational movement of the second clamp member relative to the second plate element and to maintain the same in spaced relation, said first and second clamp members having their respective plate portions formed with apertures in register with said registering apertures in said juxtaposed plate elements of the intermediate plate unit, and a clamping bolt extending through the registering apertures in the plate elements and plate portions, said bolt traversing the spaces between the plate portions of the clamp members and the plate elements of the intermediate plate unit, whereby to retain the respective flanges of the clamp members and of the plate elements in the respective grooves of said bars, said clamping bolt constituting sole means for retaining the components of said clamp assembled.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 364,973 6/87 Temple 2092 1,076,116 10/13 Hatfield 312111 2,118,525 5/38 Richardson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 19,069 8/ 14 Denmark. 1,138,037 1/57 France.

EARL J. WIT MER, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, JACOB L. NACKEN-OFF, Examiners. 

1. IN A STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY, THE COMBINATION OF FIRST AND SECOND RECTANGULAR BARS EACH PROVIDED AT LEAST IN TWO ADJACENT SIDES THEREOF WITH LONGITUDINAL GROOVES, AND A CLIP FOR CONNECTING SAID BARS TOGETHER AT SELECTED POINTS ALONG THEIR LENGTH, SAID CLIP COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR INTERMEDIATE PLATE UNIT INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BARS, A FLANGE PROVIDED AT ONE EDGE OF SAID PLATE UNIT AND PROJECTING TO ONE SIDE THEREOF INTO THE GROOVE IN ONE SIDE OF THE FIRST BAR, A CLAMP MEMBER JUXTAPOSED TO SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE UNIT AND HAVING A PLATE PORTION SPACED FROM SAID ON SIDE OF THE PLATE UNIT, A FLANGE PROVIDED ON SAID PLATE PORTION OF SAID CLAMP MEMBER AND SEATED IN THE GROOVE IN THE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE FIRST BAR, A SECOND FLANGE PROVIDED ON THE PLATE PORTION OF SAID CLAMP MEMBER OPPOSITE AND REMOTE FROM THE GROOVE SEATED FLANGE THEREOF, SAID SECOND FLANGE OF THE CLAMP MEMBER HAVING AN EDGE BEARING AGANST SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID PLATE UNIT, A FLANGE PROVIDCED AT ANOTHER EDGE OF SAID PLATE UNIT AND PROJECTING TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF INTO THE GROOVE IN ONE SIDE OF THE SECOND BAR, A SECOND CLAMP MEMBER JUXTAPOSED TO SAID OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE UNIT AND HAVING A PLATE PORTION SPACED FROM SAID OPOSITE SIDE, A FLANGE PROVIDED ON SAID PLATE PORTION OF SAID SECOND CLAMP MEMBER AND SEATED IN THE GROOVE IN THE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE SECOND BAR, A SECOND FLANGE PROVIDED ON THE PLATE PORTION OF SAID SECOND CLAMP MEMBER OPPOSITE AND REMOTE FROM THE GROOVE SEATED FLANGE THEREOF, SAID SECOND FLANGE OF THE SECOND CLAMP MEMBER HAVING AN EDGE BEARING AGAINST SAID OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID PLATE UNIT, AND A CLAMPING BOLT EXTENDING THROUGH REGISTERING APERTURES FORMED IN SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE UNIT AND IN THE PLATE PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CLAMP MEMBERS, SAID BOLT TRAVERSING THE SPACES BETWEEN SAID PLATE PORTIONS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND CLAMP MEMBERS AND SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE UNIT. 